GENERAL COUNTRY INFORMATION

Republic of Chile Area: 756,950 sq km Population: 16,763,470 Population density: 22 per sq km Capital: Santiago

PASSPORT AND VISA INFO Passport Required? British Yes Australian Yes Canadian Yes USA Yes Other EU Yes Visa Required? British No Australian No/2 Canadian No/2 USA No/2 Other EU No/1 Return Ticket Required? British Yes Australian Yes Canadian Yes USA Yes Other EU Yes Passports Passport valid for at least six months required by nationals referred to in the chart above. Passport Note Passports issued to children must contain a photo and state the nationality. Visas Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except the following: (a) 1. nationals of Greece for up to 60 days and nationals of Romania for up to 30 days. (b) transit passengers continuing their journey on the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding required travel documents for onward destination and not leaving the airport transit lounge. Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements. Visa Note 2. Nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA entering Chile for touristic purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival and in cash only. For nationals of  Australia, the fee is US$56; for nationals of Canada, the fee is US$132; and for nationals of the USA, the fee is US$100 . All 'passport and visa info' published with permission © WorldTravelGuide

GETTING THERE Getting There by Air Chile's main airline is LAN (LA) ( www.lan.com ), which deals with international flights. Approximate Flight Times From Miami to Santiago is 8 hours 30 minutes and from Madrid is 13 hours 45 minutes. Main Airports Santiago (SCL) (Arturo Merino Benitez) ( www.aeropuertosantiago.cl ). The airport is 21km (11 miles) northwest of Santiago (journey time - 30 minutes). To/from the airport: Bus services to the city centre operate from 0530 to 2400 every day. TurBus and Centropuerto both have cheap shuttle services, which take new arrivals to Pajaritos metro station or to Los Heroes in the city centre. There are a lot of taxis to the city available at the airport. Facilities: Bar, ATM, bureaux de change, restaurants, shops, car hire, post office and tourist office. Air Passes Mercosur Airpass: valid within Argentina, Brazil, Chile (except Easter Island), Paraguay and Uruguay. Participating airlines include Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR), Aerolíneas Del Sur (AS), Pluna (PU) and VARIG Airlines (RG). The pass can only be purchased by passengers who live outside South America and must be booked in conjunction with an international ticket. It is valid for a minimum of seven to a maximum of 45 days. At least two countries must be visited; dates can be changed but the flight route cannot. A maximum of three stopovers is allowed per country. oneworld Visit South America Pass: valid within Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines are Aer Lingus (EI), American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX), Iberia (IB), JAL Japan Airlines, LAN (LA) and Qantas (QF). The pass must be bought outside South America in the country of residence. It allows unlimited travel to 34 cities. A minimum of three flights must be booked; prices depend on the amount of flight zones. For further details, contact one of the participating airlines. Departure Tax None. Getting There by Water Main port: Several towns on the coast are now regular stops in cruise company itineraries. Valparaíso ( www.portvalparaiso.cl ) is the best known. Shipping lines such as Compañía Chilena de Navegación Interoceánica (CCNI) ( www.ccni.cl ) and Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores (CSAV) (from New York and European ports) ( www.csav.cl ) operate there. The country's biggest port is San Antonio. Getting There by Rail Unless you're wildly curious about rail travel, there's no point in trying to enter Chile by train. A sporadic service did exist between Chile and Bolivia, and there is talk of reviving that line. However, if you want practical travel by land, stick to the bus. Getting There by Road The Pan American Highway enters Chile through Arica. There are frequent, reliable and comfortable buses that can come from as far north as Ecuador. There are also services from Argentina and Brazil to Santiago. All 'getting there' info published with permission © WorldTravelGuide

ROAD DISTANCE TABLE

DISTANCE CHARTS: PERSONAL RECORDS

Click here to see the rest of our trip through Chile   altitude (in metres) in brackets accomm.: km altimeters   H= hotel / hospedaje . C= camping E= estacionamiento (parking, water, showers) sections in red: unpaved           Chiu Chiu Calama (2307) H 34 50 Calama Paso Barros Arana (3411) 62 1102 Paso Barros Arana San Pedro de Atacama (2493) H 38 232           La Serena Camping Morillos (0) C 28 300 Camping Morillos Camping Los Mostazos (48) C 3 45 Camping Los Mostazos turn-off Guanaqueros (80) C 2 31 turn-off Guanaqueros Estacionamiento (133) E 25 214 Estacionamiento turn-off Quebrada Seca (125) 11 98 turn-off Quebrada Seca turn-off Ovalle (44) E 29 161 turn-off Ovalle Alcones (201) 8 194 Alcones Mineral de Talca (273) 17 298 Mineral de Talca La Cebada (0) E 9 9 La Cebada Toll Pto. Oscuro (139) 55 966 Toll Pto. Oscuro Huentelaquén Norte (65) E 17 136 Huentelaquén Norte Huentelaquén Sur (20) 6 22 Huentelaquén Sur Playa Chigualoco (5) C 17 234 Playa Chigualoco Los Villos (31) H 19 228 Los Villos Estacionamiento (38) E 19 225 Estacionamiento Pichidangui (59) 9 99 Pichidangui Los Molles (2) C 10 77 Los Molles Pichicuy (50) 13 130 Pichicuy turn-off Papudo (12) 18 246 turn-off Papudo Papudo (2) H 14 141 Papudo Zapallar (64) H 10 108 Zapallar La Laguna (3) H 13 201 La Laguna turn-off La Caldera (40) 15 157 turn-off La Caldera Concon (5) H 28 244 Concon Valparaiso (35) H 25 83     Valparaiso top climb out (360) 10 349 top climb out turn-off Casablanca (266) 28 211 turn-off Casablanca Estacionamiento (276) E 5 19 Estacionamiento Túnel Zapata (439) no cycling! 11 160 Túnel Zapata turn-off Curacavi (233) 7 9 turn-off Curacavi Túnel Lo Prado (481) no cycling ! 23 338 Túnel Lo Prado Santiago (580) H / C 29 142           Santiago turn-off Colina (618) 32 124 turn-off Colina Túnel Chacabuco (1065) no cycling ! 29 438 Túnel Chacabuco Los Andes (835) H 17 120 Los Andes Rio Blanco (1387) 34 626 Rio Blanco Portillo (2783) H 27 1380 Portillo Túnel Cristo Redentor (3081) 6 295           border control Argentina Paso Pino Hachado (1863) 7 391 Paso Pina Hachado Liucura / border control Chile (1009) 22 68 Liucura / border control Chile Icalma (1098) H/C 30 415 Icalma top climb (1281) 12 319 top climb Puente Tracura (575) 11 11 Puente Tracura Melipueco (437) H 20 68 Melipeuco Cunco (398) H 33 70 Cunco Los Laureles (273) 21 10 Los Laureles Villarrica (235) H/C 38 584 Villarrica top climb (451) 15 234 top climb turn-off Panguipulli (365) 4 22 turn-off Panguipulli top climb (553) 12 259 top climb turn-off Lican Ray (268) 6 2 turn-off Lican Ray Panguipulli (161) H/C 17 93 Panguipulli Chauquén (163) C 8 161 Chauquén turn-off Puerto Fuy (182) 15 228 turn-off Puerto Fuy turn-off Choshuenco (214) C 36 597 turn-off Choshuenco turn-off Liquene (271) 4 64 turn-off Liquene Puerto Fuy (621) H/C 13 403 Puerto Fuy Puerto P (621) ferry Puerto P border control Chile (611) 6 90

MAPS AND ROAD CONDITIONS

	Chile Map International Travel Maps scale 1:2 000 000 waterproof
GPS	Free maps for GPS from http://viajerosmapas.com/

COST OF LIVING / MONEY MATTERS

ACCOMMODATION AND WHERE TO SLEEP

Most small towns will have simple lodgings though off the well trodden track, it will be more difficult to find accommodation. There are plenty of refugios to call into on the trekking trails. In general, it is better to seek out a hospedaje or residential if you are on a budget. These more homely run places can be a little run-down and not always in prime positions, but generally give you all you need for a few nights sleep with a comparably moderate price tag.

Camping in Chile
Wild camping in central Chile is not as easy as you might think. It is more populated than anywhere else in the country and they are lovers of the barbed wire, even in the seemingly desolate areas. Though there's no other experiences to draw on, if really stuck for somewhere to camp, one of the highway Estacionamientos [parking bays] might be an option. Along the coast, there are occasionally a few beaches that are accessible. Even Chileans use these places as free campgrounds. And in the summer months, you'll even see tents pitched on the side of the road near ocean plots. Other than that, you are limited to organised camping.

And this can be very disappointing for foreigners. It is more often than not, extremely expensive for what you get. Of course there are a couple of gems to discover and around the Lake District and on popular coastal regions, there are many options to choose from. Beware though, if you are travelling in the Chilean holiday season expect that a lot of the beachfront camp spots will be full.

North of Región de Coquimbo and south of Región de Los Lagos is less populated and wild camping possibilities a little easier, which is a good thing because it will be essential if slow-touring. Keep you rubbish well out of reach of wild animals and be cautious if building a campfire, though in some of the more popular areas you wont get the chance as it is banned, as is collecting firewood.

If you are cooking with a fuel stove, it is nice to know that the petrol (gasoline) in Chile is of a higher quality than in other South American countries. Stock up before venturing into Argentina, Bolivia or Peru.

Lists of campgrounds in Chile is reasonably well documented on internet, however tourist offices have even more information available. Be warned though, the Turistel maps are not very reliable. They do depict a few wild camping spots designated by a white tent symbol, which is helpful. Below are a few links to websites that could give you an indication of where camping is possible. For information about camping in national parks it is best to search for each park individually on line.

Excellent directory, by region, from CampingChile.cl
Small directory of campgrounds in chile from chilnet.cl
Camping facilities in Torres del Paine National Park
Camping in Puerto Montt
goChile.cl guide to the national parks with accommodation information
List of Chilean National Parks on Wikipedia
Wikitravel has some, but limited information about camping: click on one of the Chilean destinations available and scroll through to the "Sleep" category. Don't forget that, if it is a National Park area, then park fees also apply - and many have a dual pricing system for nationals and foreigners.

As far as outdoor gear is concerned, Mall Sport [Avenida Las Condes 13541, Las Condes] in Santiago, is the place that everyone talks about. Here, you can purchase all things sportive and camping should you need to replace something in your kit. The website has every store listed with tonnes of details about what products they stock. How to get there? Take metro line one to Escular Militar then take the C01 bus (two stops), but to be on the safe side ask the bus driver to let you know when you are there.

Internet in Chile
Internet cafés are everywhere in the well populated areas of the country and surprisingly enough, they don't close down during siesta. Most hostels offer wifi and a computer or two for travellers to use. Even campsite owners are getting on the broad-band wagon these days and quite often a wifi connection is offered included in your nightly price.

Cycling in Chile
Cycling in Chile is a mixed bag. From extremely scary highways with no shoulder to being the only person for miles. The road conditions are just as diverse. On the whole, major routes in between bigger cities are well paved and have ample space for cyclists to travel on. You are not permitted to ride through most highway tunnels, but as you near the entrance, a pickup van will be close at hand; ready to strap the bikes on and escort you through to the other side. This is quite normal on Chile's highways.

Get off the beaten track though and it is a whole different story. Unpaved roads can be extremely bad. Bolivia aside, some of the worst in South America: poorly maintained with washboard; boggy sand and gravel; rocky and full of potholes. Make sure you have good racks and bags. they are in for a lot of shaking around. This is especially the case in and around the Lake District and even though, in 2010, they were ardently working on the tracks, it is going to take a long time before they are ever finished. The road works cause quite a number of delays too, but as a cyclist you are quite often let through and sometimes, if you are lucky, you get to ride on virgin road while the other traffic slugs through the road rubble.

Driving attitudes in Chile leave a lot to be desired. The growing abundance of fast, brand new 4x4's, Audis, BMW's and Mercedes' probably has something to do with it. On dirt country roads they are prone to driving like mad-men and coming extremely close to cyclists, with little regard for the dust they produce or your precarious position on the edge of a wobbly path. Drivers also tend to take extreme risks with overtaking on blind corners and on inclines. Keep your wits about you.

In cities, your biggest concern will first be the buses; and second the taxis. Both this breed of driver play no mercy when it comes to cyclists and therefore it is not uncommon to see cyclists avoiding unpleasant situations by riding on the left hand side of one-way streets or next to the median strip on more central roads. Unfortunately, there is not much of a road-cycling culture in Chile and this reflects in the limited amount of bike paths in populated areas and when present, the way they seem to illogically stop in the middle of nowhere. Many cyclists just dawdle along footpaths, not only due to traffic concerns, but also the number of one-way streets.

While Chile might be geographically thin it is 4,300 kilometres long country and you may find you need to take public transport to get to the places where you really want to cycle. This is not uncommon and for a fee (part official; part in the pocket) paid to the driver, your bike can be stored in the underneath luggage compartment of buses. It does pay to ask prior to booking your tickets though if bikes are allowed on and how much they will charge you. There are numerous bus services to choose from and they run regularly from all cities throughout the country.

And remember when crossing the borders into Chile, there are major restrictions on what food products you can bring into the country. See Crossing the Line in the Food, Drink and Vegetarian Fare Section for more details. You will need to plan carefully around this as on nearly all the unpaved immigration posts, it is a long hard ride on bad roads until you see the next shop. Products like milk powder, packaged oatmeal, pasta, bread, tinned vegetables and tomato sauce are allowed to be carried in.

The other pertinent issue for cyclists is water and if you have been travelling from the north of South America and into Chile, you'll be pleased to know that the tap water in the country is very safe to drink. For touring cyclists though, the problems arise in the northern desert region and more isolated areas south of Puerto Montt. Mining settlements in the north generally have their own supply of fresh drinkable water and won't mind you asking them for a few extra litres, if you have run out. The same applies if you pass a police post.

Long desert stretches require careful planning, not only for water, but food too. If you are travelling on some of the major highways, then the Estacionamientos [parking bays], will be a life-saver. These are by far the greatest asset to the Chilean road system. They have amazing facilities: tables, benches with grass umbrellas; toilets - with toilet paper, showers - with hot water, soap and of course you can stock up on that life saving liquid as well. It is advisable to carry enough fluids for 1½ to 2 days at a time in these areas. This will generally see you through the dry spots.

In the central Lake District or further south, this generally wont prove a problem and as long as you have some method of filtering or purifying the water, your liquid will generally taste better than any city tap supply.

Once away from the tourism, you can find yourself in beautiful wilderness with stunning panoramic views of nature's most extreme landscapes. But it will take some work on your part to get there. The roads, as earlier mentioned, can be terrible and the weather must be on your side too. You will need to be well equipped with all season riding and camping gear and be totally self sufficient for the long isolated stretches.

Chile's biggest draw-cards are the national parks and the quiet back roads around the lake district with a small sample of northern deserts thrown in for variety. Chile is as diverse as they come, with excellent spots to cycle tour, but the distances between these memorable destinations is great. And honestly in between can be torture riding: howling headwinds reducing you to a pathetically low one digit mileage; boringly mind-numbing scenery of literally nothing but sand and rock; exasperating undulations of insignificant highway; horrendously busy roads with equally inconsiderate driving and to top the journey off: nowhere to camp wild, but in a ditch. In light of all this, it pays to plan your tripthoughtfully and if you are pushed for time or are finding the environment that disagreeable, don't be too proud to jump on a bus every now and again. They are affordable and very convenient for skipping the bad bits.

For an extensive report on cycling in Chile: Ivan Viehoff's website with excellent touring notes (from 1997-98)
Ferry information from Somarco Limitada in the “Región de Los Ríos, (southern Chile)
Listings of casas-de-ciclistas in Central and South America

FOOD, DRINK AND VEGETARIAN FARE

BIKE SHOPS

CLIMATE CHARTS

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